The Role of Distance Learning Post Pandemic

Despite the global pandemic, the role of distance learning is more important than ever. Distance learning offers an opportunity to improve education quality, provide access to learning for all, and create partnerships between private, public, for-profit, and not-for-profit organizations. 

Distinguishing between traditional classrooms and online learning 

Despite the growing popularity of online learning, there still remain many differences between the two. This article will briefly compare and contrast the two in terms of advantages and disadvantages. 

The most obvious difference is that online learning takes place in a virtual environment, with students wearing distance learning headsets. This means that the same material can be accessed by people in villages in India as well as those in the suburbs of London. 

A similar scenario can be seen in a traditional classroom. Students are assigned a timetable for classes throughout the week. They are expected to attend these classes and meet their deadlines. 

The teacher may be able to engage students through group work and individual exercises. They can also use whiteboards, chalkboards, or student presentations to share information. Increasingly, headphones/headsets for school classrooms have been introduced and made available to students during this time. 

The most important difference is the degree of flexibility that students have when taking online classes. This is especially important for students in professional careers. For example, students who work for hire may have to complete a task in a specified amount of time. This can be more difficult in a traditional setting. 

Enabling older students, working adults, people from nontraditional backgrounds and those who might be neurodiverse to access content more than ever before 

Whether you're looking for the best new talent or a way to increase productivity, it's crucial to create a neurodiversity-friendly workplace. Neurodiversity is a term that describes differences in the way we think, learn, and process information. In other words, it refers to the natural variations in the human brain. 

Originally defined as a spectrum of conditions, including autism, ADHD, and dyslexia, neurodiversity has shifted to describe any individual who experiences a difference in brain processes. 

Many studies suggest that more than one-third of the population is neurodiverse. It is important to note that these differences are not a result of medical treatment or social constructions, but rather are the result of individual upbringing.

Among other characteristics, neurodiverse people often have higher than average cognitive abilities. They may be able to retain information better than others, and they may be able to recognize patterns. This allows them to contribute creative solutions to workplace problems. They may also be able to help improve the success of a project. 

Reducing bullying 

Despite the fact that bullying is a serious problem that affects students' mental and emotional health, school attendance, and school performance, there is little evidence that bullying has been reduced through distance learning post pandemic. In fact, according to the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children survey, ten to 13 percent of boys reported being bullied at least once a month, and four to 11 percent of girls reported being bullied at least once a week. 

The NCPC has responded to this urgent situation by funding projects to address bullying. These projects aim to stimulate cultural development, build leadership skills, and develop organizational change. They also aim to create tools and resources for use across Canada. The projects addressed a range of risk factors and targeted large groups of students. 

Partners between private, public, for-profit, and not-for-profit organizations 

During the pandemic, private sector partners played an important role in the response. Their involvement had a direct impact on the health of urban populations, as well as on their livelihoods. 

Private sector companies provided direct financial relief to vulnerable individuals and households, and also provided grants to vulnerable businesses. They also provided equipment and supplies to protect staff and patients from infection. They also provided antigen tests for arriving airline passengers. They also restructured services to provide treatment services and tests. They adapted production processes to create products for the pandemic, including medicines, PPE, and sanitisers. 

Private universities were also an important partner. In Nigeria, they built ICT platforms for the delivery of distance learning. Private schools began to deliver online distance learning when following government instructions. They also created a platform for long-term delivery of distance learning. 

Another private entity is GiveDirectly, which distributes cash directly to impoverished households. They are currently developing a COVID-19 cash response program. They also are working with ministries of health to develop contact tracing tools.